This invention relates to a conveyor rail, and more specifically to a wheeled conveyor rail.
Wheeled conveyor rails are widely used for movement of goods in many industrial settings. In the typical application, two or more rows of conveyor rails will be pieced together from segments to form a conveyor of the required length and shape, and goods can be transported over (or rolled over) the conveyor. Goods of sufficiently large size can be placed directly on the conveyor for transport, and smaller goods can be placed in containers for transport on the conveyor.
FIG. 1 shows a wheeled conveyor rail segment 10 according to the prior art. The rail segment typically includes an extruded aluminum support rail 12 having an elevated longitudinal groove 14 on each lateral side for seating the axle bearing slides 18, which in turn rotationally receive and support axles 17 (see FIG. 2) of wheels 16. Wheels 16 are typically spaced closely along the rail 12 to provide a smooth, continuous rolling surface, and the wheels are held in place by axle bearing units 18 that slide into the longitudinal grooves in the aluminum support rail.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the wheel assembly 15 of a prior art rail, which contains the wheels 16, axles 17, and axle bearing units 18. Each of the axle bearing units is received into one of the opposing longitudinal grooves 14 in the aluminum support rail 12, thereby holding the wheel assembly 15 in place. The wheels 16 can be made from polypropylene, for example, and the axle bearing units 18 can be made of polystyrene, for example. Both plastics can contain a metallic additive to allow them to conduct electric current, which enables the conveyor rail segment 10 to be used in applications where elimination of electrostatic discharge (“ESD”) is critical, such as handling semiconductor materials and electronic equipment.
The conveyor rail of the present invention provides advantages over the prior art conveyor rail, as will be explained below.